Drying arrangement



May 26, 1970 B. PAUL DRYING ARRANGEMENT Filed June 20 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 551 524 y PA ML 29 FAN MOTOR ON-OFF 8 Q m m w W V O W N 6. o m m m M T 2 O EH2 we; EN HO 2 a n T2 A 0 E H R C DR 2 R w 5 A O E M H L A 77'O/P/VE y United States Patent Q 3,513,567 DRYING ARRANGEMENT Beverly Paul, 948 S. Westmoreland, Los Angeles, Calif. 90006 Filed June 20, 1968, Ser. No. 738,436 Int. Cl. F26b 21/00 US. Cl. 34233 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed herein an improved drying arrangement particularly adapted for drying dishes, silverware, pots and pans, etc. As disclosed, there is provided a hood member having side walls, end walls and top, and the hood is positionable over, for example, a dishrack in which the material such as dishes, bowls, silverware, pots and pans, etc., may be placed. The hood member is provided with an electrical heater means and an electrical motor-driven air fan means to draw air over the heater means, through an air inlet means in the hood member and into a drying volume in the interior of the hood member. The air, in passing over the heater means is heated. The heated air then flows over the material to be dried in the dishrack and in so doing increases the rate of evaporation of water from the material to dry rapidly the material. Air outlet passages are appropriately provided to allow the continuous flow of air into and out of the drying volume in the hood member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to the drying art and, more particularly, to an improved arrangement for drying dishes, silverware, pots, pans, utensils and the like.

Description of the prior art In most industrial, restaurant, commercial and home applications, it is necessary to dry dishes, plates, bowls, silverware, pots, pans, utensils and the like after they have been utilized and then washed. In industrial and commercial applications such as restaurants, there is often provided complete washing and drying arrangements operating on a large volume basis and, in some instances, on a continuous rather than a batch basis.

In home applications, there has been utilized in the past an automatic dishwasher that incorporates both the dishwashing and then the drying function and operating on a batch basis through a predetermined cycle. While such common home dishwashers may be conveniently installed when a house is being built, often there are many homes and apartments of an older vintage, or so constructed, that installation either on a permanent or a portable basis of such an available dishwasher cannot be made. Persons occupying such premises are, therefore, often left to manual washing and drying of the abovementioned material.

Since the washing cycle or washing time, when done manually, is comparatively short compared to the drying time, particularly where the drying must be done manually, it has long been desired to provide a comparatively small, portable, easily handled unit that, after the dishes had been washed and stored in an appropriate dishrack for draining, my be placed over the dishrack to provide increased evaporation of the water contained thereon to thereby dry the material in a comparatively short time. Thus, even though some residences and/or industrial or commercial establishments may be provided with automatic dishwashers that incorporate both the washing and drying cycle, there are many instances when in such establishments a comparatively small amount of material must be washed and dried, and it is uneconomical and/or too time-consuming to send the comparatively small amount of material through the complete cycle in the automatic dishwasher. In such instances, it is desirable, then, to provide the above-mentioned drying arrangement whereby the small amounts and/or special amounts of materials may be rapidly dried after being washed. Such instances often occur where, for dietary reasons, such as in kosher homes or restaurants the materials cannot be intermixed with materials utilized for other food products.

Further, most of the residential-type dishwashers that incorporate the complete dishwashing and drying cycle in one unit not only require a connection to a source of electrical energy but also to a water inlet and a water drain. Such units often only provide conventional free convection heating of the air in the unit and free convection of the air over the material contained therein.

Thus, there has long been a need for a comparatively portable dishdrying unit that requires only connection to a source of electrical energy and that will provide comparatively rapid drying of material such as dishes, pots, pans, silverware, utensils and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of applicants invention herein to provide an improved drying arrangement.

It is another object of applicants invention herein to provide a drying arrangement for the drying of dishes, pots, pans, utensils, silverware and the like.

It is yet another object of applicants invention herein to provide a drying arrangement in which rapid drying of material placed therein is achieved.

The above and other objects of applicants invention are achieved, in one embodiment of applicants invention, by providing a hood member having substantially parallel and oppositely disposed side walls and end walls, and a top. The top is connected to the side Walls and end walls to define a drying volume therein. At least one of the side walls, end Walls and top is provided with air inlet means, and one other is provided with air outlet means.

An electrical heater means, such as an electrical resistance heater, and an electrical motor-driven air fan means are positioned adjacent to the air inlet means, and the fan means draws air from the external environment through the air inlet means over the heater means through a protective screen and into the drying volume. The heated air is directed to flow through the drying volume and out the air outlet means.

The hood member may be positioned over, for example, a conventional dishrack in which dishes, plates, pots, pans, utensils, silverware, etc. (specified collectively in this patent application as the material to be dried), and the forced convection of the heated air provided by the fan means provides rapid drying of the material.

In other embodiments of applicants invention, the heater means and the fan means, as well as their appropriate controls, are all coupled to a shell means which is, in turn, coupled to the hood means adjacent to the air inlet means. This modular construction allows convenient removal of all the electrical apparatus in applicants improved drying arrangement for convenient servicing and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects may be more fully understood when the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of applicants invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of applicants lnvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of applicants invention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electrical circuit useful in the practice of applicants invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of applicants invention generally designated 10. As shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a hood member 12 having a pair of substantially parallel, oppositely disposed end walls 14 and 16 and a pair substantially parallel, oppositely disposed side walls 18 and 20 and top means 22 coupled to the end walls 14 and 16 and side walls 18 and 20 to define a drying volume 24. Each of the end walls 14 and 16, side walls 18 and 20, and top 22 have exterior surfaces 14, 16', 18', 20 and 22', respectively, and interior surfaces 14", 16", 18", 20" and 22", respectively. It will be appreciated that the interior surfaces 14", 16", 18", 20" and 22" define the drying volume 24.

The hood member 12 is positionable over, for example, a dishrack 26 which may be loaded with material 28, such as dishes, plates, bowls, pots, pans, utensils, silverware and the like to be dried. In this embodiment of applicants invention, the hood member 12 fits completely around and over the dishrack 26 and material 28 contained therein so that the material 28 and dishrack 26 are positioned within the drying volume 24.

Each of the end walls 14 and 16 and side walls 18 and 20 have bottom edge portions 30, and a first section 32 of these bottom edge portions define leg means 33 upon which the hood 12 rests when supported over the dishrack 26.

Second sections 34 of the bottom edge portions 30 comprise cut-away members defining air outlet means 35 through which air from drying volume 24 may leave the drying volume 24 to regions external the hood member 12, as indicated by the arrows 36.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the top 22 is provided with a protective screen means 39 adjacent an air inlet means 38 which, in this embodiment of applicants invention may comprise louvers 40 adapted to direct the flow of air indicated by the arrows 42 into the drying volume 24 in pre-selected directions to pass over the material 28 contained therein. The louvers 40 may be either fixed, as shown in FIG. 2, or movable so that the predetermined direction for the How of the air, as indicated by the arrows 42, may be changed as desired.

A shell means 44 having shell walls 46 defining a cavity 48 therein is coupled to the external surface 22 of the top 22 adjacent the air inlet means 38. In this embodiment of applicants invention, the shell means 44 is shown as a rectangular prism. It will be appreciated however, that any desired geometric form may be provided for the shell means 44.

An electrically energized heater means 50 is coupled to the shell walls 46 and shell means 44 in the cavity 48 and the heater means 50 may, for example, be electrical resistance heaters, or the like. It will be appreciated that the particular heater means utilized in the practice of applicants invention herein is immaterial to the purpose hereof.

An electrical motor 52 is also coupled to the shell walls 46 of the shell 44 for support within the cavity 48 and the electrical motor 52 drives an air fan 56 that is adapted to draw air through vent means 58 in the shell walls 46 of the shell 44, as indicated by the arrows 60, over the electrical heater means 50, through the screen 39 and air inlet means 38 and into the drying volume 24. The vent means 58 may, if desired, also be provided with louvers 62 that, as shown on FIG. 2, are pivotally mounted on the shell walls 46 for rotation by louver control knob 64 to vary both the quantity of air that may be drawn into the cavity 48 as well as the direction thereof.

A control box 66 is also coupled to the shell walls 46 of the shell 44 in the cavity 48 and, as described below, the control box 66 contains the appropriate controls for operation of the electrical heater means 50 and the electrical motor 52 operating the air fan 56.

In operation, the hood member 12 is positioned over the dishrack 26 containing the material 28 to be dried and, by operation of the appropriate controls 68, as described below in greater detail, the temperature of the air as indicated by the arrow 46 that passes through the cavity 48, over the heaters 50 and into the drying volume 24 may be controlled to dry the material 28 as desired.

Thus, it is apparent that in applicants invention the material 28 to be dried is dried in a comparatively short time since the air, as indicated by the arrows 42, entering the drying volume 24 passes over the material 28 in forced convection, rather than free convection, and exits from the hood member 12 as indicated by the arrows 36. The forced convection, of course, drastically increases the rate of evaporation of water from the material 28 to thereby provide a comparatively rapid drying cycle compared to free convective air flow drying.

For convenience, one or more handle means 70 may be provided on the hood member 12 to allow convenient lifting and placing thereof.

It will be appreciated that the louver 62 in the air vent 58 and/or the louvers 40 in the air inlet 38 may be either fixed or movable or may be pre-contoured into a pro-desired shape for direction of the air flow. Further, variations of the size of the opening for air flow into the cavity 48, as indicated by the arrows 60, or into the drying volume 24, as indicated by the arrows 42, may be provided, for example, by movable louvers to increase or decrease the air flow as desired.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of applicants invention generally designated 80. As shown thereon, the embodiment of applicants invention designated comprises a hood member 82 that, if desired, may be similar to the hood member 12 described above and is comprised of parallel, oppositely disposed end walls 84 and 86 having exterior surfaces 84 and 86', respectively, and interior surfaces 84" and 86", respectively, a pair of substantially parallel, oppositely disposed side walls of which, in FIG. 3, only side wall 88 is shown, which has an interior surface 88" and an exterior surface 88 (not shown), and a top 90 having an interior surface 90 and an exterior surface 90. A handle 92, in this embodiment of applicants invention, is coupled to the top 90 to allow convenient lifting in placing of the hood 82.

The interior surfaces 84" and 86" of the end walls 84 and 86, 88 of side walls such as 88 and 90 of top 90, define a drying volume 94 therebetween. The hood 82 is positionable over a dishrack 96 containing material to be dried 98 and the end walls 84 and 86 and side walls such as side wall 88 have bottom edge portions 98. A first section 100 of the bottom edge portions 98 are adapted to define leg members 101 for supporting the hood member 82 in position over the dishrack 96, and second sections 102 defining air outlet passages 103 for the outlet of air from the drying volume 94 as indicated by the arrows 104.

In this embodiment of applicants invention, a shell member 106 having shell walls 108 are coupled to the interior surface 84" of the end wall 84 so as to project within the drying volume 94 and leave the exterior surface 84' of the end wall 84 substantially planar. Air inlet 110 is in the side wall 84 adjacent to the shell means 106 and, if desired, may be comprised of louvers 112 which, if desired, may be fixed or may be movable as described above for the louvers 40 in the air inlet 38 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A protective screen 115 may, if desired, also be provided.

An electrical heater means 114 is positioned within the cavity 116 defined by the shell walls 108, as is a motor 118 and air fan 120. It will be appreciated that the electrical heater 114, electrical motor 118 and air fan 120 may be similar to the electrical heater 50, electrical motor 52 and air fan 56 described above. Similarly, a control box 122, together with control knob 124, which may be similar to the control box 66 and control knob 68 described above, are provided coupled to the shell wall 108.

In addition to the air outlets 103 in this embodiment of applicants invention, there may also be provided, if desired, an additional air outlet 126 in the opposite end wall 86 to allow the exit or air from the dry volume 94 therethrough as indicated by the arrows 104'.

Operation of this embodiment of applicants invention is similar to the operation of the embodiment of applicants invention, as described above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 in that after the hood 82 has been positioned over the dishrack 96, the electrical heater 114 may be energized and the air fan 120 turned on to draw air as indicated by the arrows 130 through the vent 132 in the shell 106, through the air inlet 112 as indicated by the arrows 134 into the drying volume 94, over the material to be dried 98 and out the air outlet 102 and, if provided, :126. The forced convection of the heated air over the material to be dried 98 provides rapid drying thereof.

In the above embodiment of applicants invention, applicant has described her invention as utilized in a hood arrangement that could be positioned over any de sired dishrack, or other holder arrangement for sup porting the material to be dried.

It will be appreciated that applicant may also practice her invention in a self-contained arrangement in which a preselected dishrack is incorporated. FIG. 4 illustrates one such embodiment of applicants invention generally designated 150. As shown on FIG. 4, there is provided a hood member 152 and a pre-selected dishrack 154. The hood member 152 may be similar to the hood member 82 or hood member 12 described above as provided with a pair of substantially parallel oppositely disposed end walls 156 and 158 having exterior surfaces 156' and 158, respectively and interior surfaces 156" and 158" respectively. The hood member 152 is also provided with a pair of oppositely disposed side wall members of which only side wall member 160* is shown, and the side wall 160 has an interior surface 160" and an exterior surface 160 (not shown). A top 162 having an exterior surface 162 and an interior surface 162" is coupled to the side walls such as 106 and end walls 156 and 158 to define a drying volume 164 therebetween.

In this embodiment of applicants invention, the preselected dishrack member 154 has a peripheral rim portion 166 in which the bottom edge portions 168 of the side walls such as 160 and end walls 156 and 158 of the hood member 152 are supported.

A shell member 170' is provided with shell walls 172 as coupled to the exterior surface 156' of the end wall 156 adjacent to the air inlet 174 therein and protective screen 175. The air inlet 174 in this embodiment of applicants invention may be provided with pre-formed shaped louvers 176 which, as desired, may be either fixed as shown in FIG. 4 or movable to direct the air flowing therethrough as indicated by the arrow 178 in pre-selected directions towards the dishrack 154 to pass over the material to be dried 180.

Vent means 182 are provided in the shell walls 172 of the shell means 170 to allow the flow of air as indicated by the arrow 184 therethrough into the volume 186 defined by the shell walls 172. An electrical heater means 188 and an electrical motor means 190 driving an air fan 192 are coupled in the cavity 186 in the manner similar to that described above, and operation thereof through the control box 194 and control knobs 196 may be similar to that described above. The air vent 182 may be provided with louvers 198 which, as desired, mayv be either fixed or movable to increase or decrease the amount of air flowing therein as indicated by the arrow 184.

In this embodiment of applicants invention, air outlet means as indicated by the air passages 200 in the end wall 158 are provided to allow the exit of air from the drying volume 160, as indicated by the arrows 202.

It will be appreciated that many of the features and variations of the embodiment described above may be incorporated with different features than the particular structure indicated. That is, for example, the position of the shell means 106 in the drying volume 94, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, could equally well be utilized, for example, in the embodiment 10 shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 by positioning shell means 44 thereof on the interior surface of the top 22. Similarly, the shell means for supporting the electrical units utilized in the operation of the applicants invention provides a unique modular construction that allows removal of the entire electrical controls and operating mechanism for service as desired or replacement. However, it will be appreciated that such modular construction need not be provided, but the heater, fan and control may be separately coupled to any desired structure including the structure of the hood member itself.

For'convenience, applicant has shown in the various embodiments of her invention illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shell members connected to an end wall. Such shell members and the air inlet to the drying volume could, as desired, be positioned in a side wall or the top.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electrical circuit use ful in the practice of applicants invention. It will be appreciated that any desired degree of complexity of the electrical circuit may be incorporated. Thus, the circuitry as shown includes an electrical heater 210, an electric motor 212 driving an air fan 214. In relatively uncomplex versions of applicants invention, there may also be included only an on-oif switch 216 between the source of electrical energy 218 and the heater 210 and motor 212. However, if desired, a rheostat 218 to vary the electrical energy flowing to the heaters 210 may be provided to vary the temperature of the air that flows into the drying volume in applicants invention. Similarly, a separate on-oif switch 220 for the heater 210 may be provided so that independent operation of the heater and the fan 214 may be provided. Similarly, a fan motor onoff switch 222 may be provided so that the fan 214 may be operated without operating the heater 210 and, conversely, the heater 210 may be operated without operating the fan 214. For automatic control, applicant prefers that a timer 224 be provided so that fully automatic operationafter turning the main switch 216 on may be accomplished. The circuitry indicated by the block diagram shown in FIG. 5 may be incorporated in any of the embodiments in applicants invention herein and, it will be appreciated, the various controls such as the rheostat 218, heater on-off switch 220, fan motor on-oif switch 222, main on-oif switch 216 and timer 224 comprise the controls 226 generally for operation of applicants invention and each will be provided with the appropriate control knobs for selective operation thereof.

This concludes the description of applicants invention of an improved dryer arrangement. From the above, it can be seen that applicant has provided a drying arrangement particularly adapted to the drying of pre-washed dishes, plates, pots, pans, utensils and the like that, by utilizing forced convection of heated air, increases the rate of evaporation of the water therefrom to provide fast drying thereof. Those skilled in the art may find many variations and adaptations of applicants invention, and the following claims are intended to cover all such variations and adaptations falling within the true scope and spirit of applicants invention herein.

What is claimed is: 1. A dishdrying arrangement comprising in combination a hood member having a pair of oppositely disposed side walls, a pair of oppositely disposed end walls coupled to said side Walls, and a top coupled to said pair of side walls and said pair of end walls, and each of said top, said side walls and said end walls, having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and said interior surfaces thereof defining a drying volume therebetween, and said hood member positionable over a dishrack holding material to be dried;

air inlet means in a least one of said pair of side walls, said pair of end walls and said top, and air outlet means in a least one other of said pair of side walls, said pair of end walls and said top;

electrical heater means adjacent said inlet means;

electrical motor-driven air fan means adjacent said heater means for drawing air over said heater means, through said air inlet means and into said drying volume to dry said material in said dishrack;

means for energizing said electrical heater means and said electrical motor-driven air fan means;

control means for controlling operation of said electrical heater means and electrical motor-driven air fan means;

a shell means having shell walls defining a cavity therein, a vent means in said shell walls for allowing flow of air into said cavity; and

said heater means and said fan means coupled to said shell walls for support adjacent said air inlet means; and

at least one of said air inlet means and said vent means comprise louver means for directing air fiow therethrough in predetermined directions.

2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said pair of side walls and said pair of end walls each having bottom edge portions, and a first section of said bottom edge portion defining legs for supporting said hood member over said dishrack, and second sections of said bottom edge portion defining said air outlet means.

3. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said air inlet means is in said top and said shell means is coupled to said exterior surface of said top.

4. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said air inlet means is in said top and said shell is coupled to said interior surface of said top.

5. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said air inlet means is in a first of said pair of end walls of said hood member; and

said shell means is coupled to said outside surface of said first of said pair of end walls.

6. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said dishrack has walls defining a peripheral rim therearound;

said pair of side walls and said pair of end walls have bottom edge portions for engagement with said peripheral rim portion of said dishrack for positioning said hood means over said dishrack.

7. The arrangement defined in claim 6 and then further comprising:

said heater means and said air fan means coupled to said shell walls in said cavity for support adjacent said air inlet means; said air oulet means in the other of said pair of end walls; said air inlet means in said first end wall and said vent means in said shell walls comprising louvers for directing air flow therethrough in predeterminted directions; and said control means comprising:

rheostat means for controlling the temperature of said heater means; timer means for controlling operation of said electrical heater means and said air fan means; and main switch means for controlling flow of electrical energy from said means for energizing said heater and said fan means to said electrical heater means and said air fan means. 8. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein: said air inlet means is in a first of said pair of end walls of said hood member; and said shell means is coupled to said inside surface of said first of said pair of end walls. 9. A dishdrying arrangement comprising, in combination:

a hood member having a pair of oppositely disposed side walls, a pair of oppositely disposed end walls coupled to said side walls, and a top coupled to said pair of side walls and said pair of end walls, and each of said top, said side walls and said end walls having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and said interior surfaces thereof defining a drying volume therebetween, and said hood member positionable over a dishrack holding material to be dried;

air inlet means in at least one of said pair of side walls, said pair of end walls and said top, and air outlet means in at least one other of said pair of side walls, said pair of end walls and said top;

electrical heater means adjacent said inlet means;

electrical motor-driven air fan means adjacent said heater means for drawing air over said heater means, through said air inlet means and into said drying volume to dry said material in said dishrack;

means for energizing said electrical heater means and said electrical motor-driven air fan means; and

control means for controlling operation of said electrical heater means and electrical motor-driven air fan means, and said control means comprising:

rheostat means for controlling the temperature of said electrical heater means;

first switch means for controlling flow of electrical energy from said means by energizing said heater to said electrical means;

second switch means for controlling flow of electrical energy from said means for energizing said fan means for controlling the flow of electrical energy to said air fan means; and

timer means for controlling the cycle of operation of at least one of said electrical heater means and air fan means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN J. CAMBY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

